Equilibrium
by Kiso
Summary: Sakura takes a vacation from everything, just as Syaoran does the same. How will a storm, a starry night, and a pocketful of cash change everything?
1. First Impressions

_Equilibrium_

_By: Kiso_

_Sakura takes a vacation from everything, just as Syaoran does the same. How will a storm, a starry night, and a pocketful of cash change everything?_

_Disclaimer: The characters belong to their respected creators. I don't claim anything but the writing. :)_

---

_One: First Impressions_

Sakura yawned and rubbed her eyes, blinking a few times, as if that would keep her awake. She was driving to a beach house and it had already been four hours of driving by herself. She was lonely and bored.

"At least I have something to look forward to!" Sakura said out loud, trying to keep herself awake. "The beach! The beach! Away from everyone, away from everything. And it's off-season; hopefully nobody will be at the place." She laughed at herself and decided not to talk out loud anymore; she was creeping herself out.

--

Syaoran blew his hair out of his face. "Wei, I could've driven myself, you know."

"Master Syaoran, it's a long drive. Your parents didn't want you falling asleep at the wheel and driving into a ditch," Wei, Syaoran's personal butler and friend, said.

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Yeah, they wouldn't want me to hurt the car."

"No, they wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," Wei said gently.

"Oh, right, they need me as an heir," Syaoran lay across the backseat and closed his eyes. "I'm so glad I'm taking this vacation. I need a break from all of them."

--

Sakura stopped at a small beach house with yellow shutters and a blue roof. She smiled and got out of the car. As she got to the front of the place, she could smell the salt from the ocean. She marveled at the sparkling blue water until a soft voice caught her attention.

"Can I help you, dear?"

Sakura turned around and a little old lady was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch. "Hello, I'm Sakura Kinomoto. I have a reservation."

The old lady smiled and said, "Ah, yes. Come on up and I'll get you your room key."

Sakura looked at the ocean one more time before following her into the cozy little resort.

"You're one of two people that are staying here," the lady said, leading her to a desk that guarded a glass cabinet full of keys. She handed Sakura a key with a piece of paper attached that had the number 4 written on it. "I'm Stella, by the way. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Dinner is at six." Stella smiled at Sakura and Sakura smiled back, grabbing her key.

Sakura walked back to her car and spotted a limo pulling into the sandy parking lot. She tried not to gawk but it was really hard not to.

Wei parked the limo and Syaoran got out as soon as he could. He stretched his legs and ran a hand through his hair. Wei opened the trunk and Syaoran hurriedly gathered his few bags.

Syaoran stared at Wei expectedly.

"Yes, Master Syaoran?"

"With all due respect, Wei, leave!" Syaoran said.

"You expect me to leave?"

Syaoran nodded vigorously. "I need a break from everything. I need to know that I'm by myself. That's why I went now, in the off-season."

"Are you sure?" Wei asked.

"Positive. Please, Wei, let me be away from Li everything."

"As you wish, Master Syaoran. Keep your phone on or your parents will be extremely angry," Wei said, smiling and bowing respectfully at Syaoran before getting into the limo and driving away.

Syaoran smirked. His phone was on. It was just in the backseat of the limo. Syaoran turned to the ocean and spotted a girl looking at him.

Sakura blushed as the boy from the limo glanced at her. She quickly unlocked her trunk and took her bags out. She put her shoulder bag onto her shoulder and dragged her other bag across the lot and up the stairs, sitting on the top porch step, out of breath. She laughed at her weakness but stopped short as the boy appeared and walked quickly past her.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at his back. He seemed to sense it, turning around a raising an eyebrow at her. Sakura just smiled stupidly, turning around quickly.

"Good first impression, Sakura. You're a winner," she whispered to herself, burying her face in her palms.

---

Thoughts? :)

Yeah, so Syaoran and Sakura don't know each other. Ah I just love these two! I had to make another story. Enjoy.

-Kiso


	2. Difficulties

_Two: Difficulties_

Sakura splashed through the water and then let herself float peacefully on her back. She closed her eyes, smiling, loving the feeling of just letting go. This was just what she needed. Lately, everything had been so crazy and stressful and it was nice to breathe.

The guy hadn't been mean to her but he hadn't exactly been nice, either. He was cold, really. Just distant and he was always in his room. But, hey, Sakura wasn't there to judge.

Syaoran walked barefoot along the warm shore, letting the foamy water hit his feet. He spotted a person in the water, unmoving, and his heart kicked into high gear. What if it was the girl from the beach house? She seemed like a ditz who could get herself into major trouble. Just the other day she had fallen down the stairs because she was on the phone.

He ran into the water and suddenly the figure moved. It was the girl from the house but she wasn't dead, obviously. She spotted him and smiled slightly, waving.

He rolled his eyes. He was here to relax and this stupid girl was just bothering him.

A loud, "Hi!" pierced the air and Syaoran realized it was coming from her.

Sakura waved wildly at him. If he was going to be frosty towards her, she would just egg it up. "I'm Kinomoto Sakura! It's nice to meet you!"

He didn't respond. Oh well. Sakura knew that he wouldn't. But when she got out of the water, he was standing on the shore, his right hand outstretched. She shook it tentatively.

"Li Syaoran," he said formally. With that, he turned and went back into the house.

Sakura smiled. At least he was respectful.

--

A knock came at Syaoran's door and he opened it slightly.

"Call for you, Syaoran," Stella said, handing him a portable home phone.

He was so relieved that she hadn't called him 'Mr. Li.' It would've made him feel like his father. He nodded and took the phone from her. He knew who it was. He sighed and said, "Hello?"

"Syaoran! Where is your cell phone? Do you know how worried we are?" his mother screeched.

He rolled his eyes. "It's in the limo, Mother. I forgot it."

"You forgot it," she scoffed. " Well. Never mind. When will you be home?"

Forcing himself to not let any attitude seep into his voice, he became strained as he said, "I'll be home when I'm home. Mother, I'm relaxing."

She laughed. "Relax? Whatever for, Syaoran? Oh, darling, you don't know anything about needing to relax!"

He gritted his teeth. "I have to go. Goodbye, Mother." He hung up and threw the phone onto his bed. "Fuck. I don't know anything about needing to relax. I live with her and my father!" He groaned and flopped onto the bed.

A knock came at his door and he opened it, expecting Stella. "Oh. Hello, Miss Kinomoto." He tried not to sigh. He really didn't need another woman on his case.

"H-hi. I just…I need the phone and Stella said you had it."

He grabbed the phone and handed it to her.

They stood there awkwardly, Sakura holding the phone and shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Syaoran leaning on the doorframe, still steaming about his mother.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sakura suddenly asked.

He was taken aback and he actually laughed a little. "Talk about what?"

She cleared her throat. "Your…mother."

"I'm sorry but I don't think that's any of your business," he replied coldly, almost spitting the words out at her.

She stepped back and held up her hands in defense. "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm sorry, Mr. Li."

He groaned involuntarily and ran his hands through his hair. "Please don't call me that."

"Um…okay…I'm sorry again, Li."

He exhaled. He didn't want to be near Li anything here. "Just…just call me Syaoran, okay?"

Sakura huffed and looked up at him. "You're pretty difficult, Syaoran. I'm sorry. Again. I'm just going to leave now."

Sakura walked away, thoroughly feeling like an idiot. Syaoran chuckled to him, thoroughly finding her an idiot.

--

"I made dinner, dear, but I don't feel well, so I'm just going to go on up to bed. Enjoy it," Stella said, setting out the chicken and rice and heading up the stairs to her room.

"Thank you," Sakura said, grabbing a plate. "I hope you feel better." Stella smiled at her.

Sakura sat down at the island with her meal but stopped short when Syaoran appeared in the doorway.

"Miss Kinomoto." He nodded politely.

"Hi, Syaoran! Have a seat!" Sakura said enthusiastically. She laughed at herself. "I'm sorry. I'm not usually that perky."

Syaoran just stood there, a plate in his hand and an amused smile on his face. "May I join you?"

"Of course," Sakura answered, gesturing gracefully with her hand.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Sakura finally spoke up. "Do you like it here?"

Syaoran just nodded.

"Um…wow…um…so! How long are you staying here for?"

"About two weeks."

"Me…me too. You know, you're a bad conversationalist," Sakura said bluntly.

This made Syaoran look straight at her. "Why do you say that?"

"You're barely responding to my questions. I can't do everything, you know," Sakura shook her head and sighed. "But oh well."

"How old are you?" Syaoran asked suddenly.

Sakura gasped sarcastically. "You never ask a lady her age! I'm fifty-six. Plastic surgery does wonders."

Syaoran rolled his eyes.

"I'm twenty-one. Why?"

"I thought you were sixteen, to be honest."

Sakura laughed and said, "I get that a lot."

"I'm not surprised," Syaoran murmured.

"So…do you want to hang out tomorrow?" Sakura said, poking at her rice.

"What?"

Sakura threw up her hands. "Don't make me repeat myself. This is awkward enough!"

Syaoran chuckled. She was such a spitfire. He didn't answer her question.

Her brows furrowed and she sighed. "Fine. Good night."

He laughed again and said, "Good night, Kinomoto."

She turned and said, "That's Miss Kinomoto to you." She walked out of the kitchen, leaving him there laughing.

She quickly came back in and said, "I'm just kidding! But no, really, how about a trip to town tomorrow?"

"Sure thing, _Miss Kinomoto_."

--

Syaoran sat in Sakura's car and said, "Are you sure you don't want me to drive?"

"What? Of course I'm sure! I'm not gonna crash," Sakura replied, backing out of her sandy space and heading out onto the road.

When they got to town, they realized that it was six stores and a few kiosks.

"Quaint," Sakura said, smiling.

"Tiny," Syaoran mumbled.

"Oh, you're so hard to please. Ice cream?" Sakura said brightly. She started walking towards the ice cream parlor, forcing Syaoran to follow her.

"Strawberry, please," Sakura said sweetly.

"Chocolate," Syaoran said from behind her.

"Separate or same bill?" the man at the counter asked.

"Separate," Sakura said at the same time that Syaoran said, "Same."

She turned to him and gave him a look. "I can pay for myself, thanks."

He took some money out of his pocket and put some on the counter. "It's just ice cream."

Sakura put her own money next to his. "I don't care."

"Come on."

"No," Sakura said.

"Don't be like that."

Sakura's eyes widened and she turned to him. "Don't be like _what_? Who the hell are you, my brother?"

"I didn't mean anything bad. Just let me pay. I'm being polite," Syaoran said, exasperated. What was the big deal of just letting him pay?

Sakura took her ice cream and said her thanks to the man at the counter. She walked outside with her ice cream and started to walk down the street.

"Sakura, wait!" Syaoran yelled after her. "Stop!" he yelled in an extremely demanding voice.

She stopped and turned around swiftly. "Whoa. You have no right to talk to me that way. What I did in there was not wrong."

"I'm sorry," Syaoran blurted out, surprising himself. He was actually apologizing? Was there something in this ice cream?

She let out a breath. "Okay."

"Are you going to apologize?" Syaoran prompted.

Sakura threw her arms up and laughed. "Apologize for _what_? My gosh, you're so difficult!"

--

:)


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